Shredding apparatus



Jan. 16, F M w cK S HREDDING APPARATUS Filed June 12, 1955 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Fly 1 Jan. 16, 1934. w c 1,943,752

SHREDDING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 12 1 953 r I 29 71 70 74n. I 7 7/ 1 {W 16' 1; 25- 21 76 H Ill 25 Y I 19 M l K 22 25 M W za fllml 21 1a 17 15 16' mp 15' 26 7; 7 I I M 71 72 y I 3'0 29 7] 29 16/ 49i7 Patented Jan. 16, 1934 UETED STATES 9 Claims.

The invention relates to apparatus for shredding sheet material, andmore particularly to apparatus for shearing a pack of sheets of paperand the like into relatively long shreds or strips.

Prior constructions for shredding paper stock and the like have includeda plurality of spaced cutting disks mounted on a rotary shaft, or apluraiity of spaced intermeshing cutting disks mounted on parallelrotary shafts, the shaft or shafts being disposed at right angles to thedirection of feed of the sheet pack, so that the paper is cut or tornlongitudinally into strips.

With this type of construction, excessive power is required to force theplurality of cutting disks simultaneously through the pack of sheets, sothat the pack must be kept relatively thin and the capacity of theapparatus is relatively small.

In shredding paper for commercial use, it is desirable to producevarious widths of shreds or 29 strips to suit different purposes, and itis very difficult and impracticable to adapt such prior constructionsfor cutting different widths of strips, because the spacing of all ofthe cutting disks on the shaft must be adjusted accordingly.

Moreover, such prior constructions are heavy and cumbersome, as well asexpensive to manufacture.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide animproved apparatus for shredding paper and the like which requires aminimum of power for operation.

Another object is to provide an improved shredding apparatus havingincreased capacity.

A further object is to provide an improved shredding apparatus which maybe easily adapted for producing various widths of strips of paper.

A still further object is to provide an improved shredding apparatushaving means for shearing a pack of sheets transversely, with respect toits 49 direction of feed, into strips having a length equal to the fullwidth of the pack.

And finally, it is an object of the present invention to provideimproved apparatus for shredding paper and the like embodying theforegoing advantages, which apparatus is simple and light inconstruction, and inexpensive to manufacture.

These and other objects are attained by the improvements comprising thepresent invention, which are described in detail in the followingspecification, and which are distinctly set forth in the appendedclaims.

In general terms the present invention comprises shredding apparatusincludin a housing, means in the housing for shearing a pack of sheetsinto strips each having a length equal to the width of the pack, saidshearing means including a cutter bar mounted in the housing, arotatable knife mounting shaft journalled in the housing parallel withsaid cutter bar, a plurality of circumferentially and angularly arrangedknives mounted on the knife mounting shaft and cooperatively associatedwith the cutter bar for shearing strips from the pack, a deflectingplate mounted adjacent to each knife and spaced radially inwardtherefrom for deflecting the paper strips radially outward, upper andlower feed rolls parallel with the cutter bar and adapted for feeding apack of sheets onto the cutter bar at right angles thereto, means forrotating the knife mounting shaft, and gearing means operativelyconnecting said shaft to the feed rolls for driving the feed rolls atequal speeds.

Referring to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof.

Figure 1 is a plan sectional View of the improved shredding apparatus,as on line 11, Fig. 2;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view taken substantially on line 33,Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view similar to Fig. 3, showing thearrangement of the knives and deflecting means.

Similar numerals refer to similar throughout the drawings.

The improved shredding apparatus is indicated generally at 10 in Figs.1, 2 and 3, and preferably includes a base or supporting frame indicatedat 11, and an enclosure frame or housing 12 carried on the base 11 andhaving the top wall 12a and the side walls 12b and 120.

A knife mounting shaft 13 is journalled in the side walls 12b and fileof the housing 12, as by means of suitable bearings indicated at 14 inFig. 1. The shaft 13 is preferably disposed horizontally andtransversely of the shredding apparatus 10. 7

Means for mounting a series of circumferentially arranged knives uponthe knife mounting shaft 13 preferably includes a pair of spiders or endheads indicated generally at 15 and 15'. The spiders 15 and 15 arespaced inwardly of the side walls 122) and 120, respectively, of thehousing 12, and include respectively, arms or spokes 16 and 16' providedwith radial projections 1'7 and 17 and forward or arcuately extendingarms or flanges 18 and 18.

The outer surfaces of the arms 18 and 18 are preferably concaved asshown in Figs. 3 and 4, and knife holding blocks 19 and 19 arepositioned on the outer surfaces of the arms 18, the inner surfaces ofthe blocks 19 being convexed to conparts form with the concaved outersurfaces of the arms 18.

Preferably, the arms 18 and 18' are each provided with elongated slotsas indicated at 20 through which are located knife clamping bolts 21,and the knife clamping bolts 21 also extend through the blocks 19 and 19and through knives 22 which are supported on the blocks 19 and 19.

The clamping bolts 21 are preferably attached to the knives 22 by meansof heads 23. in such a way that there can be no relative movementbetween the knives and the clamping bolts.

Means for arcuately adjusting the knives 22 and for preventing anybackward movement of the knives relative to the spiders 15 and 15',preferably includes bolts 25, each of which is screwed through one ofthe projections 17 or 1'? and abuts against the knife holding blocks 19and 19 respectively. A lock nut 26 is provided on each bolt 25 abuttingthe adjacent projection 17 or 17 to maintain the bolts 25 in properposition.

A cutter bar indicated at 27 is located transversely in the housing 12parallel to the knife mounting shaft 13, being mounted at its ends inside walls 121) and 120. The cutter bar 27 prefer-- ably has a shearingbar 28- secured thereon which is positioned closely to the path of therotary knives 22, for cooperating therewith to shear into strips paperpassing over the cutter bar.

As aforesaid, the knives 22 are circumferentially disposed and arrangedwith respect to the knife mounting shaft 13. The knife supporting spider15' is arcuately spaced on the shaft 13 from the spider 15, so that whenthe shaft is rotated in the direction of the arrow in Fig. i, the spider15 leads the spider 15.

Since each knife 22 is arcuate in shape and is secured to each pair ofknife blocks 19 and 19' respectively, of the spiders l5 and 15', theknives 22 are circumferentially and angularly disposed and arrangedabout the shaft 13 as an axis, and the cutting edge 29 of each knife hasa leading portion and a trailing portion relative to its rotation.

Means for feeding paper onto the cutter bar at right angles to thecutter bar and to the knife mounting shaft, preferably includes a lowerfeed roll 30 keyed to a shaft 31 which is journalled in the side walls121) and 120 of housing 12 adjacent to the cutter bar and paralleltherewith. An upper feed roll 32 is keyed to a shaft 33 which isjournalled in the side walls of housing 12 par allel with shaft 31 anddirectly above the same. Preferably, the upper feed roll 32 islongitudinally slotted or corrugated as indicated at 34 for the purposeof gripping paper passing between the rolls.

Means for journalling the upper feed roll shaft 33 in the housing 12 forpermitting resilient upward movement of the upper feed roll 32, mayinclude arcuate slots 35 (Fig. 2) in the side walls of the housingthrough which the shaft 33 ex tends. An arm 37 is preferably connectedto each end of the shaft 33 and extends downwardly therefrom, and atension spring indicated at 32 may be connected at one end to the lowerportion of each arm 3'? and at its other end to portion of the frame(not shown).

Means for conveying paper to be shredded into the feed rolls may includean articulated conveyer belt 40 which passes around a driving wheel orsprocket ll located adjacent to the lower feed roll 30. The drivingwheel 41 is fixed upon a shaft 42 which is preferably journalled in theside walls of the housing 12, as shown.

Means for driving the knife mounting shaft 13 may include a pulley e4fixed on one end thereof and having a belt 45 thereon which is connectedto a motor or other source of power (not shown).

Preferably, a fly wheel 46 is mounted on the other end of the shaft 13.Means for operatively connecting the shaft to the feed rolls 30 and 32for d1 ring the feed rolls, preferably comprises the gearing indicatedgenerally at 4? in Fig. 1,

The gearing 4.7 may clude a pinion 48 fixed on the shaft 13 and mesni gwith a gear &9 which is rotatable on the lower feed roll shaft 31. Thegear 49 is secured to or integral with a pinion 50, also rotatable onthe shaft 31, and the pinion 5O meshes with a gear 51 rotatable on anidler shaft 52. The gear 51 is secured to or integral with a pinion 53rotatable on shaft 52, which pinion 53 meshes with a gear as fixed onthe lower feed roll shaft 31 for driving the lower fees roll 30.

Means for driving the conveyer as at speed equal to the speed of theshaft 31 may include an idler gear 55 journalled on an er .iaft 56 andmeshing with the gear 54. A gear 5'7 having the same number of teethgear 5 secur on the conveyer shaft and meshes with the idler gear 55, sothat the shaft 42 i driven in the same direction and at the same speedas the shaft 31.

Means for driving the upper feed roll at a speed equal to the speed ofthe lower fee-d roll preferably includes a gear fixed on the end of theshaft 31 opposite to the end mounting the gear 54.

The gear 58 preferably mes. es with an idler gear 59 which is rotatablymounted upon an idler shaft 60 on the housing 12, and the idler gear 59meshes with a gear 61 having the same nur oer of teeth as the gear 58.The gear 61 in turn .1 eshes with a gear 62, having an equal number ofteeth, and fixedly mounted on the upper feed roll shaft off the lowerfeed roll shaft limited upward movement of the shaft may include thelever 6 1 which is journalled at one end on the shaft 33 and rotatablymounts the gear 61 at its other end as by the stub shaf t 65. A secondlever arm 66 is pivotally connected at one end to the stub shaft and atthe other end to the idler shaft 60.

The slots in which the upper feed roll shaft 33 is journalled permitupward movement of the upper feed roll against the action of ring 38, inorder to take care of different thicknesses of paper stock being fedthrough the rolls. W hen the upper feed roll shaft 33 moves upwardly inthe slots, the stub shaft 65 mo'es angularly downward toward the lowerfeed roll shaft 31, with the lever arms 64 and 56 pivoting about thestub shaft 65 and the idler shaft 69, respectively, so that the gears58, 59, 61 and 62 are maintained in driving enga ement.

If it is desired to adapt the app; ratus for shredding different widthsof paper trips, all that necessary is to substitute for he gear 49 2.1Ldriving pinion 18, a gear and pinion having the relative number of teethrequired for driving the knife mounting shaft 13 and feed rolls at thedesired relative speeds.

Means for outwardly d flecting paper strips or shreads successively as tare sheared from paper passing over the cutter bar, by cooperation ofthe shearing bar 28 and rotating knives 22, preferably includesdeflecting plates or webs '70 which are positioned one adjacent thecutting edge 29 of each knife 22. Each deflecting plate is spacedradially inward from the adjacent knife edge, as best shown in Fig. 4and extends substantially circumferentially from a position on theunderside of the adjacent knife behind the cutting edge to a position infront of the cutting edge and spaced behind the next forward ad acentknife.

In oth r words, the rear edge 71 of each deflecting plate '70substantially engages the underside of the adjacent knife 22 at aposition spaced to the rear of the cutting edge 29 thereof, and theforward edge 72 of each deflecting web is positioned in front of thecutting edge 29 and behind the next forward knife.

Preferably, each web or plate '70 is mounted on the bolts 25 of the nextforward knife supports 16 and 16' by means of angular ears 74 projectingfrom the forward edge '72 of the deflecting web and provided withapertures for fitting over the adjacent bolts 25. Nuts '75 are providedfor clamping the deflecting plates or webs '70 to the bolts 25.

In the operation of the improved shredding apparatus, pack or piles 78of paper sheets are successively positioned preferably in slightlyoverlapping relation as shown in Fig. 8, on the conveyer 40 and fed intothe feed rolls 30 and 32.

Since the feed rolls are driven at equal speeds, the paper sheets areheld together as they are fed through the rolls and do not becomeseparated.

The resilient movable mounting of the upper feed roll 32 compensates forvarying thicknesses of sheet packs so as to constantly feed the packsthrough the rolls without injuring the sheets thereof or separating thesame, or requiring added driving power.

As the packs '78 are fed onto and over the cutter bar 27 at right anglesto the rotating knives 22, the knives shear paper strips 79 from thepack each having a length equal to the full width of the pack. Since theknives are angularly arranged with respect to the cutter bar, theoperation is a shearing one, each knife passing through the packsuccessively from its leading edge portion to its trailing edge portion,so that a minimum amount of power is required.

As the rapidly rotating knives shear the strips transversely from thesheet packs '78, the deflectors successively deflect the. stripsoutwardly as they are sheared, to prevent recutting of the same and/orwinding or entangling of the strips around the various parts of theapparatus, and the strips are discharged from the apparatus by means ofthe discharge chute 80.

While I have shown the deflecting plates as extending a substantialdistance in'front of the adjacent cutting edges of the knives, thisdistance may be varied considerably without affecting the successfuloperation of the apparatus. Also, I have found that the presence of thedeflecting plates is most essential at the trailing portion of theadjacent cutting edges of the knives, so that a portion of thedeflecting plates adjacent the leading edge of the knife might beomitted without seriously affecting the satisfactory operation of themachine.

Moreover, while the rear edge of each deflecting plate '71 substantiallyabuts t e underside of the adjacent knife at a position behind itscutting edge, the circumferential distance between the cutting edge ofthe knife and the rear edge 71 of the plate may be variedproportionately to the thickness of the paper stock out. That is, if thesheet packs 78 are relatively thin the rear edges 71 of the plates maybe positioned relatively close to the adjacent cutting edges of theknives, and if the packs 78 are relatively thick, the rear edges 71 ofthe deflecting plates may be moved further be hind the adjacent cuttingedges.

The improved apparatus is simple and light in construction, and inxpensive to manufacture. Also, due to the fact that only one knifethrough the pack at a time, the knives may be rotated at a high speed,resultin in a relatively large capacity output.

Zne construction and arrangement of the do fleeting means may bemodified to a considerable extent without from the scope of the appendedclaims.

I claim:

shaft and each having a cutting edge, a cutting bar cooperativelyassociated with said knives for shearing into strips paper passing overthe art ter bar, upper and lower rolls adapted for feeding a pack ofpaper sheets onto the cutter bar at right angles to the knife mountingshaft, a substantially circumferentially disposed de fleeting platepositioned adjac nt to and radially inward from the cutting edge of eachknife for deflecting the paper strips substan tially radially outward,means for driving the rotatable shaft, and means operatively connectingthe rotatable shaft and the feed rolls.

2. Apparatus for shredding paper and the like including, a rotatableshaft, a plurality of aircumferentialiy arranged knives mounted on theshaft and each having a cutting edge, a cutter bar cooperativelyassociated with said knives for shearing into strips paper passing overthe cutter bar, upper and lower feed rolls adapted for feeding a pack.of paper sheets over the cutter bar at right angles to the knifemounting shaft, a deflecting plate positioned adjacent to and spacedradially inward from the cutting edge of each knife, each deflectingplate extending behind the adjacent cutting edge a distanceproportionate to the thickness of the pack of paper sheets, means fordriving the rotatable shaft, and means operatively connected to therotatable shaft for driving the feed rolls.

3. Apparatus for shredding paper and the li including, a housing, alower feed roll journailed in the housing, an upper feed roll paralleltherewith, means on the housing journalling the upper feed roll forresilient upward movement in the housing, a cutter bar mounted on the aknife mounting shaft journalled in the frame parallel to the feed rolls,a plurality of cir cumferentially arranged knives mounted on the knifemounting shaft for cooperating with said cutter bar to shear into stripspaper passing through th feed rolls, means for driving the knife mountrig shaft, and gearing means operatlvely connecting said knife mountingshaft 1 to the feed rolls for driving the feed rolls at equal speeds.

4. Apparatus for shredding paper and the like including, a rotatableshaft, a plurality of circuinferentially disposed knives mounted on. the

entially disposed deflecting web positioned adjacent to and spacedradially inward from the cutting edge of each knife for deflecting thepaper strips outwardly.

5. Apparatus for shredding paper and the like including, a rotatableshaft, a plurality of circumferentially arranged knives mounted on therotatable shaft and each having a cutting edge, a cutter barcooperatively associated with said knives for shearing into strips paperpassing over the cutter bar, and a deflecting web for each knifeextending substantially circumferentially from a position behind andunder the cutting edge thereof to a position in front of said cuttingedge and spaced behind the next forward adjacent knife.

6. Apparatus for shredding paper and the like including a rotatableshaft, a plurality of knives mounted on the shaft and each having acutting edge, said knives being arranged circumferentially and angularlyabout the shaft :5 an axis, whereby each cutting edge has a leadingportion and a trailing portion with respect to the rotation thereof, acutter bar cooperatively associated with said knives for shearing intostrips paper passing over the cutter bar, and a deflecting webpositioned adjacent the trailing portion of each cutting edge and spacedradially inward therefrom.

7. In shredding apparatus including a plurality of circumferentiallyarranged rotatable knives each having a cutting edge, a deflector plateop eratively mounted under each cutting edge, and the rear edge of eachdeflector plate substantially abutting the underside of the adjacentknife behind its cutting edge.

8. Apparatus for shredding paper and the like including, a rotatab eshaft, a plurality of knives mounted on the shaft and each having acutting edge, said knives being circumferentially and angularly disposedabout the shaft as an axis, a cutter bar cooperatively associated withsaid knives for shearing into strips paper passing over the cutter bar,and deflecting means adjacent to and spaced radially inward from thecutting edge of each knife.

9. Apparatus for shredding paper and the like including, a rotatableshaft, a plurality of knives mounted on the shaft and each having acutting edge, said knives being circumferentially and angularly disposedabout the shaft as an axis, a cutter bar cooperatively associated withsaid knives for shearing into strips paper passing over the cutter bar,and a substantially circumferentially disposed deflecting web adjacentto and spaced radially from the cutting edge of each knife.

FRANCIS M. WICK.

